Bursaspor defeated Manisa 2-1 at the Manisa 19 Mayis stadium on Monday evening, moving into the top half of the 1. Lig table. The result came in the sixth round of the regular season, with the visitors taking all three points after a game that swung between phases. Manisa had looked comfortable at half-time, but Bursaspor turned the tide in the second period.
Cheikne Sylla opened the scoring in the twentieth minute, a moment that defined the first half for the hosts. Kelechi Iheanacho equalised seven minutes later to level things up, and then the same man pulled the strings again in stoppage time with a second goal. The decisive strike came at 90+2, and by then the visitors were already in control of the tie.
Substitutions came thick and fast around the break, with B. Gök and Juergen Elitim both brought on at 45 minutes for their respective sides. The game opened up after that, with Zeki Yavru, Hüseyin Maldar, Yusuf Talum, Halil Akbunar and Julien Anziani all entering the action. The yellow cards followed the substitutions — Christophe Herelle, Tural Bayramov, Yassine Benrahou, Atakan Rıdvan Çankaya, Alperen Babacan and Vedat Karakuş all received bookings.
Manisa dominated possession at 49 per cent but could not convert their territorial advantage into more than one goal. They registered 107 attacks and 8 shots, yet shots accuracy sat at a mere 17 per cent. Bursaspor, with 51 per cent of the ball, were more clinical — 2 shots on target from 6 attempts, a 33 per cent accuracy rate that told the real story.
Bursaspor sit second with 12 points from five games, four wins and one defeat. Manisa remain tenth on 8 points, two victories and two draws alongside a single loss. The result extended the visitors' momentum while leaving the hosts to regroup ahead of what will be an awkward run of fixtures.
